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Dear Michael,
If a professional beekeeper had over 200 swallows over his beehives eating bees and queens during those 2 crucial months he would certainly worry. An amateur beekeeper houever, wouldn't be able to realise the seriousness of the problem. So I don't see the point of your answer.
Thank you.

The swallows might actually be diving on the hives for the mosquitoes and not trying to attack the bees. Since the hives produce the same conditions that are known to attract mosquitoes (namely heat, moisture and CO2) they may act as natural mosquitoes attractors.

What would it take to verify this conjecture? Can you get close enough to see exactly what the swallows are eating without scaring them away?

I was worried about this too. But it has not been a problem for me. I had an 8 gourd purple martin colony (all full of parents and babies) and over 2 dozen barn swallows and a pair of tree swallows on my place this summer and no problems.

Somebody posted that the bees were chasing a swallow earlier.

Now the swallows have left for South America for the year. I would think they get their experience down there with the africanized versions and would have enough smarts up here to let them alone...

I definately got it. I am certain of Michael's sincerity when responding...

Never the less, yes, any type of "scarecrow" should work, albeit only temperarily until the birds figure it out. I would suggest a variety of scarecrows, from pie pans to fake owls, and to rotate these before the birds can figure them out.